University of California enrolls a record 301,000 students amid federal pressure

The University of California said Thursday that it had enrolled more than 301,000 students last semester, a record mark, even as the Trump administration pursued a sweeping pressure campaign against the 10-campus system. The university said most of the increase — the system had about 299,000 students in the fall of 2024 — was related to a rise in undergraduate students.

It published the data on the eve of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal, hoping that higher enrollments, including among Californians, will lead to greater state support. Officials noted the system is among California’s largest employers and has said it may need billions more from the state each year if the federal government tightens the flow of money from Washington.

Other public university systems have also reported increased enrollment this academic year: California State University said it had more than 470,000 students, up roughly 2 percent, and head counts rose at institutions from the University of Washington Bothell to the University of Mississippi.

James B. Milliken, who became the University of California’s president last summer, said in a statement, “These numbers reflect California’s commitment to academic excellence, access and innovation, values that have made the University of California the world’s greatest research university,” adding that “an investment in U.C.

Key Topics

Politics, California, Gavin Newsom, Trump Administration, Justice Department, California State University